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Background: Palatal rugae are elevations found on the anterior part of the hard palate and are the most stable features in the mouth. Our study aimed to analyze the palatal rugae pattern among an adolescent sample of the Albanian population in southeastern Kosovo. Methods and Results: A total of 100 adolescents (50 females and 50 males) aged from 12 to 18 were selected from schools in southeastern Kosovo. Palatal impressions were taken with elastomers, and models of the upper jaw were poured into stone casts for further examination. The rugae patterns were classified according to the Thomas and Kotze classification. The current study indicates that the predominant rugae pattern among the young population in southeastern Kosovo is the straight rugae. The predominant rugae pattern among female subjects is straight rugae and among males, wavy rugae; the frequency of various rugae patterns differed significantly between men and women. The total number of palatal rugae in men was significantly higher than in women. At the same time, there is no significant difference in the number of palatal rugae on the left and right sides between male and female subjects.

Background: Palatal rugae, or plicae palatinae, are uniquely designed structures, well-formed, asymmetric, irregular mucosal folds suited in the anterior part of the hard palate. Palatoscopy, or the analysis of the palatal rugae pattern, is a simple, low-cost, non-invasive, innovative, and highly sensitive technique that can be successfully used in stomatology. This study aimed to analyze the palatal rugae pattern among an adolescent sample of the Albanian population in Kosovo, to determine the most prevalent palatal rugae pattern in both genders in association with Class I, II, and III malocclusions according to Angle’s classification. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 100 adolescents (50 males and 50 females) aged from 12 to 18 were randomly selected from schools in southeastern Kosovo. All subjects were divided into classes of malocclusion according to Angle’s classification (Class I, Class II, and Class III). The rugae patterns were classified based on shape, unification, and length according to the Thomas and Kotze classification. In the present study, the palatal rugae pattern in Class I, II and III malocclusions show no significant difference between female and male subjects. In Class I malocclusion, the straight pattern was dominant in female subjects, and the wavy pattern was dominant in male subjects. The straight pattern was dominant in males and females with Class II malocclusion. In Class III malocclusion, the wavy pattern was dominant in female subjects, and the curved pattern was dominant in male subjects. The study showed that male subjects were at slightly higher risk for having Class I malocclusion and slightly lower risk for having Class II and Class III malocclusions than female subjects. Conclusion: This study provides essential information regarding the dominant palatal rugae pattern among Albanian adolescents of southeastern Kosovo with Class I, II, and III malocclusions according to Angle’s classification.

Background: Palatal rugae are asymmetrical elevations present on hard palate and are significant due to their uniqueness, stability and thus, aid in forensic identification. Objective: The objective is to determine palatal rugae morphology between parents and their offsprings and to determine their genetic inheritance. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled cross-sectional single-blinded study was conducted on 50 families (randomly selected) who visited Vyas Dental College and Hospital. A total of 150 maxillary study models were examined and rugae were delineated and shape, size, and pattern of rugae were recorded. Results: Weak but significant correlation was seen in the nonspecific and angular type of palatal rugae between child and mother and child and father as P < 0.05. Matching with either or both of their parent was seen for curved, wavy, divergent, straight, horseshoe, angular, and nonspecific type of rugae with the higher % of wavy pattern matching (52% with mother and 54% with father). A considerable number of samples showed high heritability of primary and secondary rugae from both parents, but more predominantly to their mothers (branched, nonspecific, and straight). Conclusion: Both environmental and genetic factors can influence the rugae pattern. Further, studies should be conducted on a larger sample size to get more significant results.

Objective: Palatal rugae are frequently used in the evaluation of tooth movement after treatment in orthodontics and as a stable region in superimposition. It is important to note that the impression method and material used to record the rugae region affect the accuracy of the impression. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of palatal rugae, in three-dimensional (3D) by employing both conventional and digital impression methods. Materials and methods: In this study, 22 patients (12 females, 10 males) mean age of 13.5 ± 1.7 years old were selected with complete permanent dentition. Three different impressions were taken from the maxillae of the patients: conventional impression using silicone rubber impression material, conventional impression using alginate impression material, and optical impression using an intraoral scanner. The impressions’ digital data were analyzed by the GOM Inspect (Version 2018, Braunschweig, Germany), a 3D analysis software. The Root Mean Square (RMS) values of the total ruga region were evaluated in this software. The data were statistically analyzed using the Jamovi program. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Mann–Whitney U test were performed due to the non-normal distribution of the data. Results: There is no statistically significant difference between the comparison points of the right and left rugae’s medial and lateral points and total rugae regions’ RMS values. Although there was no statistically significant difference, the total RMS values of alginate and digital scan measurements showed closer results than the RMS values of silicone and digital scan measurements. Conclusion: The study found that there was no statistically significant difference in the total RMS values of the ruga region between traditional and digital impression methods. Clinical relevance: The treatment period in orthodontics is long. Different impression materials and methods can be used for diagnostic, mid-treatment, and final impressions. For superimpositions and treatment and post-treatment palatal ruga evaluations, traditional and digital impression methods are clinically acceptable and can be used as alternatives to each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Palatal rugae are asymmetrical elevations present on hard palate and are significant due to their uniqueness, stability and thus, aid in forensic identification. Objective: The objective is to determine palatal rugae morphology between parents and their offsprings and to determine their genetic inheritance. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled cross-sectional single-blinded study was conducted on 50 families (randomly selected) who visited Vyas Dental College and Hospital. A total of 150 maxillary study models were examined and rugae were delineated and shape, size, and pattern of rugae were recorded. Results: Weak butsignificant correlation wasseen in the nonspecific and angular type of palatal rugae between child and mother and child and father as P < 0.05. Matching with either or both of their parent was seen for curved, wavy, divergent, straight, horseshoe, angular, and nonspecific type of rugae with the higher % of wavy pattern matching (52% with mother and 54% with father). A considerable number of samples showed high heritability of primary and secondary rugae from both parents, but more predominantly to their mothers (branched, nonspecific, and straight). Conclusion: Both environmental and genetic factors can influence the rugae pattern. Further, studies should be conducted on a larger sample size to get more significant results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in imaging technologies, such as intra‐oral surface scanning, have rapidly generated large datasets of high‐resolution three‐dimensional (3D) sample reconstructions. These datasets contain a wealth of phenotypic information that can provide an understanding of morphological variation and evolution. The geometric morphometric method (GMM) with landmarks and the development of sliding and surface semilandmark techniques has greatly enhanced the quantification of shape. This study aimed to determine whether there are significant differences in 3D palatal rugae shape between siblings. Digital casts representing 25 pairs of full siblings from each group, male–male (MM), female–female (FF), and female–male (FM), were digitized and transferred to a GM system. The palatal rugae were determined, quantified, and visualized using GMM computational tools with MorphoJ software (University of Manchester). Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical variates analysis (CVA) were employed to analyze palatal rugae shape variability and distinguish between sibling groups based on shape. Additionally, regression analysis examined the potential impact of shape on palatal rugae. The study revealed that the palatal rugae shape covered the first nine of the PCA by 71.3%. In addition, the size of the palatal rugae has a negligible impact on its shape. Whilst palatal rugae are known for their individuality, it is noteworthy that three palatal rugae (right first, right second, and left third) can differentiate sibling groups, which may be attributed to genetics. Therefore, it is suggested that palatal rugae morphology can serve as forensic identification for siblings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hereditary hemoglobinopathy, which delays growth leading to an altered skeleton and craniofacial pattern. Palatal rugae patterning has been considered the regulator of the development of the palate. The purpose of the research work was to study the morphology of the palate, rugae pattern, and its dimensions in SCD children and compare them with healthy normal children, and to evaluate its role as minor physical anomalies (MPAs). Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was designed as per STROBE guidelines. The sample comprised 50 children diagnosed with sickle cell disease (Group SCD) and 50 normal healthy children as control (Group C) belonging to the same age group (10–18 years). Dental impressions were made, followed by the pouring of dental casts. The length of the palatal rugae was measured and categorized into primary (>5 mm), secondary (3 mm–5 mm), and fragmentary rugae (

Objective: Rapid maxillary expansion is a common orthodontic procedure to correct maxillary constriction. Assessing the midpalatal suture (MPS) expansion plays a crucial role in treatment planning to determine its effectiveness. The objectives of this preliminary investigation are to demonstrate a proof of concept that the palatal bone underlying the rugae can be clearly imaged by ultrasound (US) and the reconstructed axial view of the US image accurately maps the MPS patency., Methods: An ex-vivo US scanning was conducted on the upper jawbones of two piglet's carcasses before and after the creation of bone defects, which simulated the suture opening. The planar images were processed to enhance bone intensity distribution before being orderly stacked to fuse into a volume. Graph-cut segmentation was applied to delineate the palatal bone to generate a bone volume. The accuracy of the reconstructed bone volume and the suture opening was validated by the micro-computed tomography (µCT) data used as the ground truth and compared with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) data as the clinical standard. Also included in the comparison is the rugae thickness. Correlation and Bland-Altman plots were used to test the agreement between the two methods: US versus µCT/CBCT., Results: The reconstruction of the US palatal bone volumes was accurate based on surface topography comparison with a mean error of 0.19 mm for pre-defect and 0.15 mm and 0.09 mm for post-defect models of the two samples, respectively when compared with µCT volumes. A strong correlation (R 2 ≥ 0.99) in measuring MPS expansion was found between US and µCT/CBCT with MADs of less than 0.05 mm, 0.11 mm and 0.23 mm for US, µCT and CBCT, respectively., Conclusions: It was possible to axially image the MPS opening and rugae thickness accurately using high-frequency ultrasound., Clinical Significance: This study introduces an ionizing radiation-free, low-cost, and portable technique to accurately image a difficult part of oral cavity anatomy. The advantages of conceivable visualization could promise a successful clinical examination of MPS to support the predictable treatment outcome of maxillary transverse deficiency., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Objectives: To compare the impact of three complete denture palatal rugae designs on participants' satisfaction and oral-health-related quality of life., Background: Complete dentures palatal rugea are usually polished to a smooth finish, which can affect the patient's adaptation. Roughening or keeping an opening in the rugae area to replicate the natural sensation of the palatal rugae has been suggested but lacks clinical evidence., Methods: This randomised crossover trial included participants with complete dentures randomly allocated to six sequences. Each sequence alternated between polished, roughened, and open rugae designs. Participants evaluated general and domain-specific satisfaction (eating, taste, speaking, phonetics, and ease of cleaning) on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. They also completed the Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous Patients (OHIP-EDENT) and indicated their preferred design at the end. Repeated-measure ANOVA compared satisfaction, and one-way ANOVA with Tukey's test compared OHIP-EDENT scores., Results: Forty-two participants were randomised. Seven dropped out. General satisfaction ratings were comparable for the polished (Mean = 80.2, SD = 19.7) and roughened designs (Mean = 79.5, SD = 20.2). However, the open design had a significantly lower satisfaction rating (Mean = 41.1, SD = 32.2). OHIP-EDENT scores for the open design (Mean = 44.9, SD = 17.5) were significantly worse than those for the polished (Mean = 36.1, SD = 12.7) and roughened designs (Mean = 36.2, SD = 13.3). Two-thirds of the participants chose the polished design. One-third chose the roughened design; of those, 83% were first-time denture wearers., Conclusions: Complete dentures with polished and roughened rugae designs were perceived similarly. Both designs could be recommended based on the patient's preference. However, the open design should be avoided due to negative perception., (© 2024 Gerodontology Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background The establishment of human identity has always been a concern after mass disasters, and the role of odontology in forensics has greatly evolved. Nowadays, palatal rugoscopy is a widely used method in the recognition of human identity due to its uniqueness in the course, direction, length, form, position, and enduring nature against disintegration. Its easy applicability, cost-effectiveness, and prompt results can be applied to festering, scorched bodies and in the absence of missing upper limbs and fingers. This study was undertaken to evaluate palatal rugoscopy as a tool to recognize human identity and gender between two different ethnic populations. Methodology A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to recognize ethnicity and gender among the Saudi and Kuwaiti populations. A total of 364 participants were selected from the outpatient department between September 2022 and December 2022. All 364 participants were distributed into two groups after the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria. After obtaining informed consent from all study participants, study models were prepared for final interpretation. The outlining of rugae was done with the help of a sharp graphite pencil, and the assessment of various parameters, including total number, length, direction, unification, and shape of rugae, was done. A comparison was made between the two populations. SPSS version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA) was employed to assess variations in the mean values of both the total number and the distribution of rugae on the right and left sides across different ethnic groups and genders. Results In this study, a total of 364 participants were included. Of the total participants, 184 were Saudis and 180 were Kuwaitis, with 188 males and 176 females. A comparative evaluation of rugae among ethnic groups showed that Saudi participants had a mean number of 8.92 ± 0.660 palatal rugae, whereas in Kuwaiti participants it was 8.68 ± 0.649 (p = 0.001). When rugae length was assessed between genders among Saudi participants, it was found that the majority of participants had primary rugae with a length of more than 5 mm, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.002). The majority of Saudi males had forwardly positioned rugae, while the majority of Saudi females had more backwardly placed rugae. When rugae length was assessed in males and females among Kuwaiti participants, it was found that males had more primary rugae than females. This study found that the majority of Kuwaiti males had a wavy shape of rugae, while the majority of Kuwaiti females had more straight rugae. Conclusions This study concluded that among the two ethnic groups, the total number, length, direction, unification, and shape of rugae were different between genders, with significant differences in some parameters. Therefore, palatal rugoscopy might be useful as a tool to recognize gender and ethnicity and may provide better results when used as an additional tool along with other dependable forensic tools., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Abdul et al.)

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common hereditary hemoglobinopathy, which delays growth leading to an altered skeleton and craniofacial pattern. Palatal rugae patterning has been considered the regulator of the development of the palate. The purpose of the research work was to study the morphology of the palate, rugae pattern, and its dimensions in SCD children and compare them with healthy normal children, and to evaluate its role as minor physical anomalies (MPAs)., Methods: A cross-sectional case-control study was designed as per STROBE guidelines. The sample comprised 50 children diagnosed with sickle cell disease (Group SCD) and 50 normal healthy children as control (Group C) belonging to the same age group (10-18 years). Dental impressions were made, followed by the pouring of dental casts. The length of the palatal rugae was measured and categorized into primary (>5 mm), secondary (3 mm-5 mm), and fragmentary rugae (<3 mm). The shape of each primary palatal rugae was identified and categorized as curved, wavy, straight, circular and non-specific. Linear and angular measurements of the palatal rugae patterns and palatal dimensions (width, height, area) were measured and recorded., Results: The total number of palatal rugae and fragmentary rugae was lesser in Group SCD than in Group C (p < 0.05). The depth of the palate was significantly increased, whereas the area of the palate significantly decreased in Group SCD., Conclusions: The children with SCD showed distinctive palatal rugae patterns and dimensions when compared with normal healthy children that can be attributed as potential MPAs for sickle cell disease. Children with SCD had an under-developed palatal rugae pattern with a deep, narrow and small palate when compared to healthy children.The dimensions of the palatal rugae pattern in SCD showed reduced distance between the incisive papilla and the first and last rugae, indicating a further decrease in the anteroposterior dimensions of the palate. These findings may aid in the early diagnosis and prevention of malocclusion in children with SCD by appropriate interceptive orthodontic treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)